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Does anyone have an excercise to help lose "back fat"? Today at the gym I was using the back extension machine - I was absolutely apalled to feel the rolls of fat on my back when I did the full extension. :oops:
Everything else is starting to firm up nicely but this is just too much! Help! |
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Wed May 09, 2007 4:34 pm |
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| PapaBanucci
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Sorry, hate to say it but spot reduction is a myth.
Sure you can do exercises to build muscle on one's back.
But exercises to specifically remove fat from any body part specifically is a myth.
As the percent body fat comes down, your body will take the fat off where your genetics caused it to be added in the first place.
Despite the impressions of the infomercials, spot reduction just can't happen. |
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Wed May 09, 2007 4:40 pm |
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| DarkChocolate
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Cardio exercises that get your heart rate up will help you burn body fat over your whole body, which is your best bet.
Back strength training will help tone and strengthen the area as well, but as PapaBanucci said, it won't cause you to lose fat in one specific area.
For the past two months, I've been jogging (with the Couch-to-5K program) as well as doing weight machines (mostly back ones), crunches and pushups. Not sure if it's due to the jogging-cardio mostly or if it's a combination with the strength training too, but I was noticing the other day that my back has gotten quite toned compared to what it was like before! The extra bits that used to "squish" around my bra band are mostly gone, and I can feel my spine a lot more clearly than I could before (in a good way, not in a creepy anorexic kind of way).
So I'd just say, start doing SOMETHING, both strength and cardio, and keep it up for a few weeks to help make it into a habit. Just focus on DOING it, and don't get worried about what is or is not improving just yet... give it a bit of time. Then after a few weeks, see what improvements you've made, and then add to or adjust your exercise accordingly.
When I started out I didn't really have any confidence that my body would "show" any changes, but I convinced myself to just DO IT anyway. And now after a few weeks of keeping up with the exercising, I'm realizing that there HAVE been great changes... I'm more toned, and I'm noticing all these muscles popping up all over the place... It's not a DRAMATIC change, but it's a real change nonetheless. It's a good feeling. :) |
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Wed May 09, 2007 5:14 pm |
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| PapaBanucci
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DarkChocolate wrote: Just focus on DOING it, and don't get worried about what is or is not improving just yet... give it a bit of time. Then after a few weeks, see what improvements you've made, and then add to or adjust your exercise accordingly.
When I started out I didn't really have any confidence that my body would "show" any changes, but I convinced myself to just DO IT anyway.
Telltale sign of success. |
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Wed May 09, 2007 5:42 pm |
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| smokefree
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| Thanks for the input! I have been going to the gym religiously 5-6x a week, and today went in for my second measurement/weigh in. I've lost inches all over (including that horrible back fat) so that was really good. Was just wondering if there was a specific exercise I needed to do to help tone that area. But will keep plugging away on the cardio and machines! |
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Fri May 11, 2007 5:44 pm |
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| DarkChocolate
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| Way to go smokefree! Sounds like you are seeing some great changes! Keep it up, and the improvements should keep coming :) |
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Fri May 11, 2007 10:16 pm |
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| LAURELWOOD
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I know what you mean about that appalling body fat. ("What happened behind me when I wasn't looking??!!")
I think for me doing consistent cardio & yoga really helped this area. But it wasn't until I added some light free weights for some simple, basic, upper body (back, chest, shoulders, arms) work that my back & sides really firmed up. I wasn't really watching, but after a few weeks I noticed I was much firmer there.
So as much as I don't want to do it, I've experienced the value of consistent weight training. (I wasn't doing any weights before.) |
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Sat May 12, 2007 6:49 pm |
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